STATESVILLE, N.C. (November 27, 2018) – Bob Jenkins will expand his Front Row Motorsports team in 2019, signing Matt Tifft to drive a third Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series entry, the No. 36 Ford Mustang. Veterans Michael McDowell and David Ragan will return to drive the Nos. 34 and 38 Ford Mustangs and mentor the 22-year-old Tifft in his Cup series rookie season.

Tifft finished sixth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship this season, earning six top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in his 2018 campaign with Richard Childress Racing, making it to the Round of 8 in the series playoffs. In four XFINITY series seasons, the young driver has nine top-five and 38 top-10 finishes, and two poles.

“Today is a huge moment in my career, announcing my move to the Cup series,” said Tifft. “This has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and I can’t believe it’s finally coming true.

“I’m so thankful to Front Row Motorsports for giving me the opportunity to drive the No. 36 next season. I’m looking forward to guidance from veterans Michael McDowell and David Ragan and am ready to take on the challenge of driving with 39 of the best drivers in the world.”

McDowell will return to the No. 34 in 2019 after completing his first full season with Front Row Motorsports. The 11-year Cup series veteran earned a top-10, 2-top-15 and 10 top-20 finishes in 2018 and averaged a starting position of 23rd – the best qualifying average in Front Row team history.

Next season will be Ragan’s sixth with Jenkins’ team. The 12-year Cup series veteran earned a top-10, four top-15 and 14 top-20 finishes in 2018. Ragan made Front Row Motorsports history in 2013 when he earned the team its first victory with a last-lap dash to the front at Talladega Superspeedway.

The 2018 season was the first for McDowell and Ragan as teammates.

“This season has been a big stepping-stone for me in my career,” McDowell said. “We haven’t gotten the results we’ve wanted every week, but we’ve made huge advances as a team. I’ve really benefited from having a teammate this year and feel like I’ve made valuable contributions in return. I’m looking forward to building on that next year and welcoming another teammate in Matt Tifft.”

“Bob Jenkins has always grown his race team strategically, and I’m proud to be a part of that growth,” said Ragan. “It’s exciting that we’re now ready to take the next step with a third car in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. We’ve made a lot of gains this season with our enhanced program with Ford Performance and our alliance with Roush Fenway Racing, and I think we can make even greater strides next year.”

Front Row Motorsports has competed full-time in NASCAR’s premier series since 2009. In that time, countless other race teams have started up and folded. Jenkins is proud of the strategic, steady growth of his team over the past 10 seasons.

“We’ve made it clear in recent years that it was our intent to continue to invest in NASCAR and expand to a three-car team,” Jenkins said. “Not only are we here to stay, we’re here to grow.

“We already have two proven veterans in our line-up, and now we’ll get to add an impressive young talent and championship contender who will inject some new energy into the group. With the introduction of the Ford Mustang into the Cup Series, 2019 is shaping up to be an exciting season for us.”

Sponsor partnerships and crew chief pairings will be announced at later dates.

About Front Row Motorsports:Front Row Motorsports is a winning organization in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the premier division of NASCAR competition. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by Tennessean Bob Jenkins. FRM fields three full-time entries, the No. 34 of Michael McDowell, the No. 36 of Matt Tifft and the No. 38 of David Ragan, from its Statesville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. The team's partnership base includes organizations such as Ford Motor Company, Love's Travel Stops, K-LOVE Radio, 1000Bulbs.com and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on Twitter at @Team_FRM and on Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Front Row Motorsports Bolsters 2018 Program with Enhanced Ford Partnership to Field Cars for Ragan, McDowell

STATESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 14, 2017) – Front Row Motorsports will step up its two-car Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series program in 2018 with an elevated partnership with Ford Performance. The Bob Jenkins-owned team will put experience behind the wheel of its Fords, re-signing veteran David Ragan and adding free agent Michael McDowell to the driver roster.

The 2018 season will mark Front Row Motorsports’ ninth with Ford Performance, the team’s manufacturing partner since expanding to a multi-car organization in 2010. The agreement will include an expanded technical alliance with Roush Fenway Racing.

Ragan returns for his fifth season with the Statesville, N.C.-based team. The 31-year-old Unadilla, Ga., native earned Front Row Motorsports’ first NASCAR victory in 2013 with a last-lap surge to the front at Talladega Superspeedway. His 12-year Cup series career includes two wins, 15 top-five and 39 top-10 finishes, and two poles.

“Bob Jenkins and I have developed a good relationship over the years, both professionally and personally,” Ragan said. “I believe in this team and am proud to have been part of its growth and its successes. I’m excited that Bob and Ford have agreed to take the program to the next level, and I’m happy I’ll be here to help the team continue to grow.”

McDowell, a 10-year veteran of the series, joins the team after four years with Leavine Family Racing. The 32-year-old Phoenix, Ariz., native raced a Front Row Motorsports entry once previously in his Cup series career, at Watkins Glen International in 2013. The former open-wheel racer was the 2004 Star Mazda Series champion and 2007 ARCA Re/MAX Series Rookie of the Year. He earned a Cup career-best fourth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway in July of this year.

“Since I first drove for Bob at Watkins Glen, we’ve kept in touch and have felt like there might be an opportunity to work together again, and the timing worked out perfectly,” McDowell said. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a teammate, so I’m really looking forward to working with David, whom I’ve become pretty good friends with over the years. As a team now, we go into the season knowing we have five or six races that put us in position to get a win and earn a spot in the playoffs.”

“Ford has been a great partner for us for the past eight seasons, and we’ve agreed to work together to step up our program quite a bit,” Jenkins said. “We’ve got a lot vested in our partnership – relationships, knowledge, data – that we’re going to build on to make improvements both in the shop and at the track.

“David has been a great team member for us in his years with Front Row, both on and off the track,” Jenkins continued. “And Michael is a great addition to our team. I’ve been impressed with his talent watching him over the years and excited that he’ll be representing us and our partners next season.”

The team has not yet finalized its crew chief line-up and is evaluating possible additions to the competition staff. Additional information about the 2018 program, including team partners and driver car numbers, will also be announced in the coming weeks.

About Front Row MotorsportsFront Row Motorsports is a winning organization in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the premier division of NASCAR competition. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by Tennessean Bob Jenkins. FRM fields two full-time entries, the No. 34 Ford and the No. 38 Ford, from its Statesville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. The team’s partnership base includes organizations such as Ford Motor Company, Love's Travel Stops and CSX Transportation. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on Twitter at @Team_FRM and on Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.